JOIN USEver since the age of 15, the one ‘consistent thing’ in Akash Arora’s life is his ‘randomness’. A co-anchor at NDTV Good Times’ show ‘You got magic with Neel Madhav’, the multi-faceted Arora has tried his hand at street play, theatre, TV commercials, production in Radio and creative writing. His love for adventure, food and all things cultural is probably what makes his personality admirable and fascinating.
Hailing from a typical middle class Delhi-based family, where only he holds the credentials of being associated with the entertainment industry, Arora is a graduate from IP University. He tells Metrolife that he all through his life he has received advice/suggestions from college friends and associates to join the street play society and also do volunteer work.
“Initially I felt very happy about such work because it was for a good cause. Working with NGOs, participating in various awareness drives made me feel satisfied with what I was doing. I eventually realised that the beauty of it lies in its ‘randomness’. I never wanted to think about stuff, before I actually did them!” he tells Metrolife.
While You got magic was somewhat the ‘big break’ of this 23-year-old, he still feels that not being rigid about anything is his mantra for achieving success in life. While it is a weekly travel show centred on the theme of magic, food and exploring, Arora explores ways of enjoying it in his own way.
“On the show, I am the one having the most amount of fun! Maybe that’s because I am good in what I get to do. I am travelling and I get to foster my personal views about the place. Within the confines of a TV show and all the rules that go with it, I can say whatever I know about the place. I love the sense of freedom and the room for creativity that the show gives me!” he enthuses.
However, being a part of the Films and Theatre Society (FTS) for two years, is
what is responsible for his current recognition.
“I got a chance to do a lot of different exercises in FTS including singing and learning different dialects. Because of my looks, the general characters that came my way were the old ones. Amongst the many plays that I was a part of, Animal Farm was my favourite, primarily because my character, Squealer was very close to my personal self. The thin line between me as Akash and me as ‘Squealer’ was very blurred. Sometimes, I used to be very spontaneous on stage while enacting it and that was the fun part of it” he recalls.
The hard work that was involved in being an active participant in FTS is what is to be credited for this current travel enthusias image and overall appreciation. One can’t help but look twice at his bearded face and messy hair. He seems funny, yet attractive. For some he works wonders for a negative character and for You got Magic, he is nothing less than a perfect partner for Neel Madhav. A few female fans and a considerable amount of followers on the social media is more than enough for Arora at this point of time.
“My looks have always raised a lot of questions. Luckily, the people on my show are okay with it! The funniest part is that people sugarcoat a lot while asking me if I’m planning to shave or something...” he laughs. “But I am not very religious about it” he continues, “for me it’s something that I like.”
On being asked if he would give up his beard for his role, he mentions, “I actually did get rid of my beard and my hair for a single dialogue in a big budget Bollywood movie! The opportunity came when I was still in the final year of college, and had immense passion for films. Even though I was just an ‘extra’ in the movie, I just wanted to go on the sets and work with some of the best people in the industry!”
With a bright smile lighting up his face while recalling the best moments of his life, he continues, “Those 10 days of shoot involved me being a part of the military setup. While everybody else was anxious about getting their heads and beards shaved, I was the one who was least bothered about it! That one dialogue in the movie and the chance of observing everyone else at their work was a saving grace for me and my career...”
Well, the way Arora follows his beliefs, and everything that interests him, is the reason where he is today, not as a famed TV personality, but as someone who is way ahead of the conventions! He might not be the so called face of his show, but is surely a fascinating part of it. Where on one hand he loves anchoring it, on the other he might just give it up “when it starts falling out” of his interests.
“Today, no matter what I do, nobody can take away my experiences from me. How they would help me in building my future, I don’t know. I am always looking forward to try something new. The crazy ideas in my head always keep baffling me, urging me to implement them as soon as I can, and I think I am young enough to keep on trying new things. And I’ll keep doing it,” he ends on an elated note.